Indiana State University

Dendrochronology offers valuable insights into global environmental change, yet the field remains geographically biased toward northern latitudes, leaving tropical Africa relatively underrepresented. The African Dendrochronological Fieldschool (ADF) addresses this gap through training and research to expand knowledge of ring formation and environmental variation, and to build research capacity. We present case studies from the first three ADFs (2021–2023), spanning wood anatomy, dendroecology, dendroclimatology, and dendrochemistry studies from Miombo woodlands near Kitwe, Zambia. Wood anatomical characterization for 13 species, many of which have not been assessed before, indicated two are semi-ring-porous, but most (11 of 13) are diffuse-porous, and five show indicators of annual ring formation. Dendroecological studies characterized stand diversity and establishment history and produced a mixed-species chronology (series intercorrelation = 0.42). Dendroclimatological research yielded chronologies of Brachystegia longifolia and B. boehmii (series intercorrelations of 0.38 and 0.44, respectively) and found significant relationships (p < 0.05) between wet-season precipitation and growth for B. boehmii (r = 0.19–0.37) and the mixed-species chronology (r = 0.23–0.26). Dendrochemical analysis of B. longifolia revealed bioaccumulation of pollutants linked to local soil contamination, including As, Pb, and Sc. These findings demonstrate the applicability of several African tree species for dendrochronological research and underscore the importance of continued capacity building.

Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest and second deepest lake, is shared by Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Located in a region where resources can be limited, the lake and its fishery serve as vital sources of protein, freshwater, and economic development for 12 million people living within its catchment. Unfortunately, over the past several decades, the lake has experienced declines in biodiversity, natural habitat, and economic utility, most clearly evident in reduced fish catch rates. The causes of this decline are complex and still debated, but they may include changing fishing practices, climatic variability, and land use. This project seeks to uncover the historic drivers of nutrient cycling in the lake to determine which factors ultimately govern its fishery productivity. In this study, we use oxygen isotopes in phosphate and isotopes of carbon and nitrogen from sediment cores covering the past 2,000 years to explore how internal lake processes have been influenced by human activity and environmental processes. The findings aim to inform sustainable fishery management strategies.

The Journal of Case Studies (JCS) is in a period of transition: Two editors (Britt and Brad) complete their journey while two new editors (Joyce and Ben) embark on theirs. Additionally, it is an exciting time for JCS, as it will be listed on the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) list going forward. This will further enhance the journal’s profile as an outlet for researchers. We owe a special thanks to Dr. Andrew Borchers, the Executive Director for the Society of Case Research (SCR), for leading the effort to have both JCS and the Business Case Journal (BCJ) included in the ABDC list.

Despite increasing clinical interest, there has yet to be a systematic evaluation of the literature regarding hyperselective neurectomy (HSN) for upper limb spasticity. In this study, we assess the results of HSN on spasticity reduction, muscle strength preservation, and range of motion (ROM). Nine studies were included from Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus, detailing the outcomes of 253 HSNs targeting the shoulder, elbow, forearm (pronators), wrist, and digits. Hyperselective neurectomy demonstrated reductions in spastic tone while preserving or modestly improving strength and ROM in both agonist and antagonist muscle groups. Slight recurrence of spasticity was frequently reported among studies with longitudinal follow-up, but this did not reach statistical significance. Interpretation of results is constrained by heterogeneity in surgical technique, follow-up duration, patient characteristics, and outcome measures. Future studies should aim to standardize fascicle resection thresholds, report uniform outcome metrics, and extend follow-up duration to identify optimal surgical strategies, evaluate the risk of delayed recurrence, and identify patient subgroups most likely to benefit from HSN.

Purpose Service experiences are shaped through interactions with and perceptions of service providers. This study aims to investigate the impact of customer perceptions of service robots’ incivility in restaurants on customer emotions and service outcomes, addressing a gap in the current literature on human–robot interactions in hospitality settings. Design/methodology/approach Two experimental studies were used to examine the effects of robots, mechanoids and human server incivility on customer emotions, word-of-mouth intentions and expected service quality. Data were collected from US participants using online surveys. Findings The results reveal that service technologies’ physical and interactional capabilities influence customers’ perceptions of service environments; customers feel more anger, and service quality expectations are lower when a robot is uncivil (vs human); and when customers witness incivility by a robot (vs mechanoid), their positive emotions are more likely to be reduced. Originality/value This research addresses a clear gap in the literature by exploring the unique impacts of customers’ perceptions of service robot incivility in restaurants. It applies and tests the social exchange theory within human–robot interactions, highlighting how robot characteristics such as human-likeness influence customer responses to perceived incivility. The findings offer practical insights for optimizing robot use in hospitality to enhance customer experiences and service quality.

This study addresses the problem that organizations deploy deep neural network (DNN) forecasting services in cloud and enterprise environments, yet decision teams lack quantitative evidence on which operational capabilities drive real-time forecasting effectiveness and whether forecasting gains convert into decision-ready market intelligence. The purpose was to evaluate a case-based DNN forecasting service and test how perceived capability dimensions influence Forecasting Effectiveness (FE) and Market Intelligence Effectiveness (MIE). Using a quantitative cross-sectional, case-study design, a five-point Likert survey was administered to N = 210 active users in the selected enterprise case (58.1% analysts, 21.9% traders, 20.0% risk or portfolio staff). Key capability variables were Data Quality (DQ), Feature Richness (FR), Update Responsiveness (UR), Robustness (ROB), and Explanation Quality (EQ); outcomes were FE and MIE. The analysis plan used descriptive statistics, reliability testing (Cronbach’s alpha), Pearson correlations, and two multiple regression models with diagnostic checks. Reliability was strong (α = .84 to .90). Descriptive results indicated high perceived maturity (DQ M = 4.12, SD = 0.54; FR M = 3.98, SD = 0.61; UR M = 3.85, SD = 0.66; ROB M = 3.90, SD = 0.63; EQ M = 3.76, SD = 0.70; FE M = 3.94, SD = 0.58; MIE M = 4.01, SD = 0.55). Associations supported the proposed pathway: capability correlated with FE (r = .68, p &lt; .001) and MIE (r = .62, p &lt; .001), and FE correlated with MIE (r = .71, p &lt; .001). Regression Model 1 explained 56% of variance in FE (R² = .56), with significant effects for DQ (β = .32), ROB (β = .28), FR (β = .21), and UR (β = .14). Regression Model 2 explained 61% of variance in MIE (R² = .61), driven by FE (β = .52), EQ (β = .29), and UR (β = .12). The findings imply that cloud and enterprise programs should prioritize data integrity and robust delivery to improve forecast usefulness, and invest in explainability and low-latency refresh to maximize intelligence value and decision confidence. These results provide actionable levers for governance, service-level monitoring, and user-centered adoption of secure DNN forecasting platforms.

Context The field of athletic training faces significant retention challenges, with decisions to leave influenced by various factors, one of which may be professional identity. One critical but underexplored factor is how cultural transmission—the passing down of professional norms and values—affects athletic trainers’ professional identities. Objective To investigate the influence of cultural transmission on the professional identities of athletic trainers who have allowed their certifications to lapse. Design Concurrent mixed-methods design grounded in postmodernism. Setting Web-based surveys and semi structured interviews conducted via Zoom. Patients or Other Participants Twelve participants (age = 40 ± 11 years; years of experience = 16 ± 14) who allowed their certifications to lapse within the past 3 years. Data Collection and Analysis Participants completed a demographic survey and the validated Professional Identity and Values Scale (PIVS). Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and themes within the interview transcripts by a 3-person data analysis team. Results Participants scored reasonably high on the PIVS (92.01 ± 12.10). Participants reported maintaining their professional identities in athletic training despite leaving the profession, with a central theme of identity and its influential factors (local environment, athletic training values, and personal values) in conflict leading to their transitions out of the profession. Mentors and workplace support played significant roles in shaping their experiences. Many participants expressed dissatisfaction with professional norms, such as long hours and poor work-life integration, and felt disenfranchised due to lack of respect within the profession. Transferable skills like problem-solving and communication were emphasized as valuable in their career transitions. Conclusions Cultural transmission significantly shapes an athletic trainer’s professional identity. Strong mentorship, workplace respect, and alignment with personal values significantly enhanced participants’ professional identities yet, in these cases, were insufficient to retain these athletic trainers. Improving these areas may reduce attrition in athletic training.